WY-ALT

Contact Information

The Wyoming Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (WY-ALT) was administered for the first time in spring 2015. The WY-ALT is aligned to the Wyoming Content and Performance Extended Standards (WYCPES) and designed to allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in an appropriately rigorous assessment. All information about the WY-ALT is available on the WY-ALT Portal.

Wyoming Statewide Alternate Assessment – WY-ALT

Wyoming’s alternate assessment, WY-ALT, is designed for a small number of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. It’s part of a statewide instructionally supportive assessment system which complies with the requirements of federal accountability law and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA).

Wyoming has rigorous academic standards for all students. The Wyoming Department of Education believes that the results of the WY-ALT, along with other measures of student performance, will enable teachers to provide individualized academic instruction to enable students to achieve high standards of academic performance and improve instructional programs. A student’s participation in the WY-ALT is appropriate when the Individualized Education Program Team has determined that the student’s academic achievement is best measured by Alternate Academic Achievement Standards, consistent with Wyoming’s participation requirements.

About the Program

The WY-ALT is administered to students in grades 3 – 10 in ELA, and mathematics and to students in grades 4, 8, and 10 in science. The WY-ALT is an individually administered student performance assessment which students demonstrate their mastery of grade-level-aligned extended Wyoming Academic Content Standards.

The grade-level extended Wyoming Academic Content Standards specify essential learning for all students who participate in the WY-ALT. The extended standards, though reduced in breadth, depth and complexity, are linked to the Wyoming Content and Performance Standards and define the knowledge and skills, which students are expected to master at appropriate levels of challenge. Teachers ensure access to the general academic curriculum through teaching and learning opportunities aligned to the extended Academic Benchmarks. Teachers employ a wide range of instructional strategies as determined by a student’s individual learning characteristics and communication modes and levels, and through the use of adapted, grade-level appropriate materials.